Why I, a breast cancer survivor, am creating a 'place for smiles.' On April 12, the online salon Be.smiling will step off the screen to hold its first in-person meetup!
Kaori Nakano, founder of the online salon 'Be.smiling,' is hosting the community's first in-person gathering on April 12 in Yachiyo, Chiba. The salon aims to provide a supportive space for breast cancer survivors to regain their sense of self and connect with others who have shared similar experiences.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 06:04
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 09:03 (2h 58m after Published)
Our company supports 'April Dream,' an initiative that encourages people to share their dreams on April 1st. This press release represents the dream of 'Be.smiling.'
Kaori Nakano, representative of the cooking school 'Smile Kitchen Yachiyo-Chuo' in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, and head of the online salon 'Be.smiling,' will hold a long-awaited in-person meetup on April 12, 2026.
[Image: Kaori Nakano, Representative of Smile Kitchen and Be.smiling]
I want to bring smiles to those fighting breast cancer in solitude.
The origin of why I launched this online salon is that I keenly felt the need for a place where women who have experienced the major trial of breast cancer can regain their 'true selves' and laugh together from the heart, even after treatment.
Even if illness is a part of life, it is not everything.
Every experience can be turned into a smile.
Believing this, I launched the online salon.
I want to bring a smile to as many people as possible who are fighting breast cancer in solitude.
We have been holding chat sessions via ZOOM since January 2025, but this year, we are stepping off the screen to hold an in-person meetup where we can meet face-to-face.
'I never thought that a year later, I would be getting on a plane to travel.'
These are the words of an online salon member.
Around this time last year, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer and felt death was close by. She said she never imagined that a year later, she would be healthy enough to board a plane and attend an in-person meetup.
Because we have overcome the same illness, there are things we can understand without saying a word.
On April 12, many members from distant places such as Miyagi, Akita, Fukushima, and Tochigi will gather at Smile Kitchen in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture.
[To facilities and shops nationwide: A request for leaflet placement]
Currently, leaflets conveying the activities of Be.smiling are being displayed mainly at breast clinics nationwide.
We are looking for owners of hot spring facilities, cafes, local community spaces, and more who agree with our dream of 'wanting to bring a smile to as many people as possible who are fighting breast cancer in solitude.'
Even a tiny bit of space can be the catalyst that turns someone's 'loneliness' into 'hope.'
If you are willing to cooperate with the placement, please contact us at the information below.
[Contact Information]
Be.smiling Representative: Kaori Nakano
Phone Number: 090-8068-9439
Email Address: smilekitchen0226@icloud.com
Official Website: https://lin.ee/Qg0aV5y
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.smilingkny?igsh=MWtrb3A4MzBpbTN0aQ==
Online Salon Application: https://www.fan.salon/besmiling/
Kaori Nakano, representative of the cooking school 'Smile Kitchen Yachiyo-Chuo' in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture, and head of the online salon 'Be.smiling,' will hold a long-awaited in-person meetup on April 12, 2026.
[Image: Kaori Nakano, Representative of Smile Kitchen and Be.smiling]
I want to bring smiles to those fighting breast cancer in solitude.
The origin of why I launched this online salon is that I keenly felt the need for a place where women who have experienced the major trial of breast cancer can regain their 'true selves' and laugh together from the heart, even after treatment.
Even if illness is a part of life, it is not everything.
Every experience can be turned into a smile.
Believing this, I launched the online salon.
I want to bring a smile to as many people as possible who are fighting breast cancer in solitude.
We have been holding chat sessions via ZOOM since January 2025, but this year, we are stepping off the screen to hold an in-person meetup where we can meet face-to-face.
'I never thought that a year later, I would be getting on a plane to travel.'
These are the words of an online salon member.
Around this time last year, I had been diagnosed with breast cancer and felt death was close by. She said she never imagined that a year later, she would be healthy enough to board a plane and attend an in-person meetup.
Because we have overcome the same illness, there are things we can understand without saying a word.
On April 12, many members from distant places such as Miyagi, Akita, Fukushima, and Tochigi will gather at Smile Kitchen in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture.
[To facilities and shops nationwide: A request for leaflet placement]
Currently, leaflets conveying the activities of Be.smiling are being displayed mainly at breast clinics nationwide.
We are looking for owners of hot spring facilities, cafes, local community spaces, and more who agree with our dream of 'wanting to bring a smile to as many people as possible who are fighting breast cancer in solitude.'
Even a tiny bit of space can be the catalyst that turns someone's 'loneliness' into 'hope.'
If you are willing to cooperate with the placement, please contact us at the information below.
[Contact Information]
Be.smiling Representative: Kaori Nakano
Phone Number: 090-8068-9439
Email Address: smilekitchen0226@icloud.com
Official Website: https://lin.ee/Qg0aV5y
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.smilingkny?igsh=MWtrb3A4MzBpbTN0aQ==
Online Salon Application: https://www.fan.salon/besmiling/